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Arlan Osborne -Banbridge GA
I met Mr. Osborne sitting on a light post and it didn’t appear that he had any where to go so I pulled my rental over near him and asked was he waiting on the bus he replied no. Then I asked, “Are you a Vet?”. His response was, “Yes sir from multiple branches!” I responded man do you have time for me to pull over and allow me to hear your journey?
Arlan said he was in the US Marines where he worked in Unit Supply “Beans Bullets and Band aides” but he replied always a rifleman first. Arlan said after the Marines he then went on to join the Army working in Recon. I said Recon, I didn’t tell him but that tugged at my heart strings. I said let me hear more. He said I was in from 82-89 and 89-97 and during that time he got choked up telling me he took one in the knee, but he said my LT (Lieutenant) had all my teams back. He told me when they were pinned down he said they were able to call for fire and his Lt. made sure the guys made it out.
Arlan said I don’t talk about it much, he said you know they train us not to talk about. I said sometimes it can be painful to talk about and relive those moments, but I can relate. He said that he was awarded the silver star during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and that the VA only awarded him 10% disability rating. He said however I tried to obtain a higher rating which would ultimately lead to him being able to find a stable place to live rather than him being on the streets.
Arlan said I’m 54 and I’m been living on and off the streets since 2012-2014. He said now I call it home. He said my Lt. checks on my every now and then. I asked what did he mean and he said, my Lt. now works for the Atlanta Police Department as a supervisor and he told me whenever he comes around I always “snap in” which I believe he meant snaps to attention to give him respect. He said I’ll do anything for that Lt. Arlan then went on to say that one of his former drill sergeants from the Marines works for CNN and he said I would put her up against any linebacker.